Trunk.



.I. H. BARTLETT, 1n. TRUNK.

1,147,919 APPLICATION man JULY 29. 19-14. Patented July 27 1915.

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J. H. BARTLETT, .R-

TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1914.

1, 147,9 1 Patented July 27, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 110.. WASHINGTON D. c.

1. H. BARTLETT, .ln.

TRUNK.

APPLICATION man JULY 29. 1914.

Patented July 27', 1915.

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TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed July 29, 1914. Serial No. 853,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. BARTLETT, Jr.,- a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains more particularly to what maybe classed as steamer trunks, and it consists in the novel features, structure and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The trunk of my invention comprises a body portion having a cover hinged at one edge thereof and containing a hinged tray, and awardrobe tray secured to one end of the body portion of the trunk and adapted with said end to be turned outwardly from said body portion, said end of the trunk be ing hinged at its" lower edge to the bottom of the trunk and said wardrobe tray when turned outwardly from the trunk being adapted to stand vertically, and the trunk of my invention also comprises certain novel features hereinafter fully described operatively connected with the hinged wardrobe tray and adapted to be folded into inoperative position when the tray is folded inw ardly and to assume an operatlve posltion materially aiding in the support of the cover and its tray and in the strengthening of the trunk generally when the wardrobe tray is folded outwardly into vertical position; and further I contemplate making the trunk in about two equal parts, one being the body portion having the wardrobe tray and the otherthe cover portion having its tray, the trunk being thus made commodious and capable of convenient and eiiicient use without being bulky and without sacrificing the major portion of the trunk to the wardrobe tray. 1

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a substantially vertical longitudinal section through the trunk with its cover tray therein in an open position and with the Wardrobe tray turned from the body of the trunk and standing in a vertical position at the end thereof Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same, taken on the dotted line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of a portion of the means provided by me for the support of one end of the covertray when the cover is closed while the wardrobe tray is in its outer vertical position and for bracing the sides of the open end of the body section of the trunk when the said wardrobe tray is in said, outer position; Fig. 4: is a top view of one end portion of the trunk, taken from the upper end of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a like View of the same showing the condition of the parts when the wardrobe tray is folded into the bottom or body section of the trunk, the cover still remaining in its open position, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, through a portion of the trunk, the cover thereof being shown in its open position and the wardrobe tray being illustrated as folded into the body of the trunk by full lines and as standing in its vertical position by dotted lines.

In the drawings, 10 designates the body portion of the trunk, 11 the cover portion thereof, 12 a tray for said cover portion and 13 the wardrobe tray for the body portion 10, said wardrobe tray being secured to one end 14 of the said body portion and said end 14 being hinged at its lower edge to the end edge of the bottom of the trunk, as at 15. The body portion 10 and cover portion 11 are about equal in size and are hinged together along the rear edge of the body 10, as indicated at 16. The cover portion 11 contains a commodious tray 12 of substantially known construction and this tray is hinged to the cover portion, as at 17. The tray 12 is inclosed within the cover portion 11, and may be turned upwardly therewith into a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2,01 allowed to remain in a horizontal position while the cover portion 11 is turned upwardly therefrom to permit access to said tray. 1 deem it an important feature that the cover portion and body portion of the trunk should be about equal in capacity, so

that each may contain a reasonably commodious tray without creating undue bulk in the trunk as a whole.

The wardrobe tray 13 extends substantially the entire length and width. of the body portion 10 of the trunk and it is provided with suitable rods18 having hinged sections 19 upon which clothing may be hung and with cross rods 20 for keeping the clothing in correct condition, said rods 18, 20 not being special features of the present application, but embraced within another application to be filed by me. Any suitable hangers and means for compactly holding the clothing in the wardrobe tray 13 may be provided and many forms of such hangers are well known. The tray 13 when folded inwardly into the body portion 10 of the trunk lies horizontally and fills the same and at such time the end 14 of said body portion is in its closed position and closes the end of the trunk. When however it may be desired that the wardrobe tray 13 be exposed, the cover portion of the trunk with the tray 12 therein may be turned upwardly on the hinges 16 and thereupon the wardrobe tray 13 may be turned outwardly and upwardly on the hinges 15, said wardrobe tray then standing in the position shown in Figs. 1. and 2 and exposing the garments which may have been placed therein. The wardrobe tray 13 is of eommodious character, being of about the same depth, width and length as the body portion 10 of the trunk.

At the sides of the body portion of the trunk adjacent to the hinged end 14 thereof are two arms 21 which are pivoted to the sides of the trunk at their lower ends, as at 22, and connected at their upper portions which are about on a level with the upper edge of the body portion 10 of the trunk, by a transverse brace and supporting bar 23 (Fig. 2) whichstands on edge when the arms 21 are in their vertical position and is below the wardrobe tray 15 when said tray is in its folded-in position shown in Fig. 5. The arms 21 are also braced by an inclined transverse brace bar 24 secured at one end to the bar 23 and at the other end to one of the arms 21, as shown in Fig. 3. The bracebar 24 aids in preventing the sides of the body-portion 10 near the hinged end 14 thereof from being forced or deflected outwardly or inwardly, and the transverse bar 23 cooperates with the bar 24 in the respects referred to, and in addition serves, when in its upper position, which is always when the wardrobe tray 13 is in its vertical position, as a support for the adjacent end portions of the cover-tray 12 and cover 11 should it be desired that the cover 11 be in its closed position at the time the wardrobe tray 13 is in its open vertical position. The arms 21 and bar 23 may be in one integral piece of metal, and the bar 24 may be in a separate piece of metal riveted at its ends to the frame composed of the arms 21 and bar 23.

The opposite sides of the open end portion of the body of the trunk are also provided with slanting bracket guides 25 which are rigid and between which and the adjacent surfaces of the sides of the body of the trunk the arms 21 perform their movement. The wardrobe tray 13 is connected by links 26 with the arms 21, and these links 26 impart motion to said arms and the bars 23, 24 connected therewith during the opening and closing of the wardrobe tray 13. When the tray 13 is moved from its closed position shown in Fig. 5 by solid lines to its open position therein indicated by dotted lines and in Figs. 1 and 2 by solid lines, said tray while turning upwardly on its hinges 15 pulls through the links 26 on the arms 21 and turns said arms with the bars 23, 24 to their upper position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bars 23, 24 then extending trans: versely across the body of the trunk with the bar 23 in position to serve as a support for the tray 12 and cover 11 should it be de sired to then close said cover. When the wardrobe tray 13 is folded inwardly so as to be concealed within the body portion of the trunk, as shown in Figs.4 and 5, the movement of said tray 13 acting through the links 26 causes the arms 21 to turn inwardly and downwardly and the transverse bars 23, 24 to lie parallel with each other against the bottom of the trunk.

I regard the frame composed of the arms 26 and bars 23, 24 as of considerable importance in insuring a durable construction at the open end of the body of the trunk and as affording a proper support for the cover-tray and cover 11 should said cover be closed while the wardrobe tray 13 is in its open position. In the absence of the arms 26, bars 23, 24 and brackets'25, the end portions of the body ofthe, trunk, adjacent to the hinged end 14, would, when the tray 13 is in its open vertical position, be liable to deflection inwardly or outwardly, because of there being at such time no solid end in the body portion of the trunk. The brace bars 23, 24 connect the vertical or hinged arms or bars 21, and since these arms or bars 21 are confined between the brackets 25 and the adjacent portions of the sides of the body of the trunk, said bars 23, 24 are maintained and the bars 21 are prevented from yielding either outwardly or inwardly in a lateral direction by the brackets 25, which cooperate to brace the pivoted arms or bars 21. The bars 23, 24, arms or bars 21 and brackets 25 serve to greatly strengthen the end portion of the trunk, especially when the 13 is open and the bar 23 is of considerable importance in affording, when the tray 13 is open, a support for the tray 12, should the cover 11 at such time be turned to its closed position.

I do not wish to limit myself to the special form of bracing and supporting frame for the open end of the trunk which I illustrate in the drawings, since these are mechanical features which I am aware are capable of modification; said features are however of great importance, especially in a trunk of the character under consideration.

My invention comprises features of extreme convenience in that the cover and body portions are about equal in depth, that the cover portion incloses an adequate and commodious hinged tray 12, and that the body portion incloses a commodious wardrobe tray 13 secured to one end of said body portion, said end being hinged at its lower edge to the end edge of the bottom of the trunk, thus creating a wardrobe tray of maximum length and simplicity and adapting it to be supported on the floor supporting the body of the trunk.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A trunk comprising a body section having a hinged end, a cover section hinged at its rear edge to said body section, a tray within said cover section, a wardrobe tray within said body section and secured at one end to the hinged end thereof so as to be turned outwardly therewith and stand on end with said hinged end resting on the floor, and means for bracing the sides of the open end of said body section when said wardrobe tray is turned outwardly into vertical position, said means comprising a transverse bar movable to position by said wardrobe tray when it is turned outwardly, to aid in supporting the tray in the cover section should said cover section be closed while the wardrobe tray is in its vertical position.

2. A trunk comprising a body section having a hinged end, a cover section hinged at its rear edge to said body section, a tray within said cover section, a wardrobe tray within said body section and secured at one end to the hinged end thereof so as to be turned outwardly therewith and stand on end with said hinged end resting on the floor, and means for bracing the sides of the open end of said body section when said wardrobe tray is turned outwardly into vertical position, said means comprising arms pivoted to said sides, a transverse bar connecting said arms, links connecting said wardrobe tray with said arms, and brackets secured to said sides and between which and said sides said arms are confined and have their movement during the outward and inward folding of said wardrobe tray.

3. A trunk comprising a body section having a hinged end, a cover section hinged at its rear edge to said body section, a tray within said cover section, a wardrobe tray within said body section and secured at one end to the hinged end thereof so as to be turned outwardly therewith and stand on end with said hinged end resting on the floor, and means for bracing the sides of the open end of said body section when said wardrobe tray is turned outwardly into vertical position, said means comprising arms pivoted to said sides, a transverse bar connecting said arms, links connecting said wardrobe tray with said arms, an inclined transverse brace connecting opposite portions of the frame represented by said arms and transverse bar, and brackets secured to said sides and between which and said sides said arms are confined and have their movement during the outward and inward folding of said wardrobe tray.

4. A trunk comprising a body section having a hinged end, a cover section hinged at its rear edge to said body section, a tray Within said cover section, a wardrobe tray within said body section and secured at one end to the hinged end thereof so as to 'be turned outwardly therewith and stand on end with said hinged end resting on the floor, and a transverse bar movable to position by said wardrobe tray when it is turned outwardly, to aid in supporting the tray of the cover section when said cover section is closed while the wardrobe tray is in vertical position.

5. A trunk comprising a body section having a hinged end, a cover section hinged at its rear edge to said body section, a tray within said cover section, a wardrobe tray within said body section and secured at one end to the hinged end thereof so as to be turned outwardly therewith and stand on end with said hinged end resting on the floor, a movable transverse bar to aid in supporting the tray of the cover section when said section is closed while the wardrobe tray is in its vertical exposed position, and links connecting said wardrobe tray and transverse bar for actuating said bar from said tray.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th day of August, A. D. 1914.

JOHN H. BARTLETT, JUNIOR.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MARION,

CHAs. C. GILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

